As an early career researcher in academia (without a permanent position) I find this discussion really illuminating and a great reminder as to how ridiculous travel arrangements for (non-celebrity) academic staff and research students at (regular non-Ivy League) universities are. Y-only is a given. We are lucky if someone immediately foots the bill for the flight and not make us wait ages to fill ten forms for reimbursements. My favorite is when I actually lost money on funded travel because I was being reimbursed in foreign currency and the rates had fluctuated by the time it hit my bank account.